OKC's Jukebox Bandit May Have Been Busted

The old song tells you to "put another dime in the jukebox, baby." These days it cost you more. But that money may end up in the pockets of the so called "Jukebox bandit".

Saturday, January 26th 2013, 11:07 pm

By: News 9


The old song tells you to "put another dime in the jukebox, baby." These days it costs you more. But that money may end up in the pockets of the so called "Jukebox bandit".

This week, News 9 told you how metro businesses have become victims to this smash-and-grab thief. On Saturday night, we spoke exclusively to a man who may have ended his crime spree this weekend.

Surveillance footage from multiple bars around the metro captured images of the bandit, with a bandana over his face, using the business end of a crow bar to gain entry to his targets. He's not after money in the register, but the bills collected in the Jukebox.

1/24/2013 Related Story: New Surveillance Video May Help Identify OKC's Jukebox Bandit

The suspect breaks into the Jukebox and is gone in two minutes. Now, Oklahoma City Police are trying to figure out if a guy caught trying to break into coin-operated laundry machines late Friday night is in fact the Jukebox Bandit.

"I heard an alarm," Chase Drake said.

Drake was working security at American Motor Rental at 16th and Portland Friday around midnight. The alarm was coming from the Laundromat next door.

"There's a masked man in there with a crowbar and he's going at a coin-operated machine," said Drake. "When I hit him with the spotlight, he was deer in the headlights and so was I."

The suspect eventually took off running and Drake gave chase.

"I tackled the guy in the alley. He was a big guy; feisty," Drake said.

1/23/2013 Related Story: OKC Bars Burglarized By Jukebox Bandit

Drake says patrons from a nearby bar sat on the suspect until police arrived.

In the last four weeks, at least four bars, including several on Portland, have been hit by the Jukebox Bandit.

Drake said after hearing from cops on the job well done, he has no doubt that the bandit is now busted.

"One of the officers did as he was walking back say ‘That's the Jukebox Bandit. He's been tearing up this place. Good job,'" Drake said.

So far, police have not commented on their arrest from Friday night. News 9 is told that the jukeboxes can sometimes have around $1,000 in them.

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